Secretary of State for Education approves funding for free school in Wembley

The Secretary of State for Education has approved funding for a free school which will open its doors in Wembley this September.

Katharine Birbalsingh - Credit: Archant

Michaela Community School at Arena House in North End Road, will now be able to offer places to 120 year seven children on Monday - secondary allocation day following the news from Michael Gove.

A waiting list for the mixed non-denominational school, which has recruited its teaching staff, will also open on the same day.

Katharine Birbalsingh, the school’s head teacher, previously told the Times: “Our education will be academically rigorous. We will expect our pupils to be polite and obedient. We will encourage competition and allow our pupils to win and lose. We believe that knowledge about the world is central to our pupils’ success. Only when they have acquired that knowledge will they be ready to lead and participate as full citizens.”

The school, which was originally to open in South London but was twice rejected, had faced opposition from Wembley residents and parents and teaching unions due to the high number of secondary schools in the area.

There were also concerns over the suitability of the building which had formerly been used by the College of North West London.

For more information about the school visit here.